Ding-Dong, the G-Tube's Gone!

Yes. Yes. You aren't seeing things - this *is* the third post in March.

Oh, you meant the headline? (Of course you did!)

This was a potentially life-altering week for Isaak. On Monday, Bekka took him to UNC for what we thought was going to be a pre-op appointment with the surgeon to schedule removal of the g-tube and closure of the stoma. Previously, there was evidence that the gastric mucosa (stomach lining, basically) was growing up and out of the stoma site. On this visit, they decided it wasn't and went ahead and pulled the tube!

This was/is very exciting.

It's also very messy.

You see, the closure process basically involves letting the stoma close on its own, much like an earring hole. During this process, Isaak still has to eat and drink...and this has a disturbingly frequent tendency to result in a mess. Daddy came up with a method to help control the mess - maxi pads taped to his stomach - but it's by no means 100% effective. We still get milk geysers when changing the dressing once in awhile...

The stoma site is slowly closing and already looks much better. It is supposed to close in 2-3 weeks (!?!). Sometimes we think doctors don't quite know what we have to deal with at home...

In other news, we had a visit at Duke Eye Center last week. This visit was not nearly as exciting as the UNC visit because the news was not all good. Isaak's right eye still looks great, but the left has developed new issues. There is a bit of new bleeding and also some sort of lipid deposits around the macula. To add to the concern, the pressure is elevated in the eye whereas it had previously been fine. Sooooo....we have another appointment at Duke on April 11 to reevaluate the pressure levels and sometime soon after Isaak will have yet another exam under anesthesia. It's possible (possibly even likely) that Isaak will require further surgical intervention in the eye. We certainly hope not, but we'll go with it day by day.

In the meantime, this is the first time we've had a cordless little boy since Ollie was 7 months old. This is significant for us on so many levels. It really hasn't fully sunk in yet and probably won't until we no longer have to have bandages/maxi-pads on his tummy.

There is so much more to discuss regarding their development and new-found ability to say dadadadadadadadadee, but that will have to wait for another post - perhaps the post that will have the epic video of attempted green bean feeding. (Hint: it did not go well)

I can leave you with a few numbers this evening: Both kids are basically 28 inches long. Penny weighs a tick over 21lbs and Isaak a little over 20. Such a long, long way from 1lb 7 and 1lb 11 and under a foot long.

What is amazing is how deep they both are into the "normal" baby growth curve. Penny is sitting right at the 50th percentile while Isaak is around the 25th. If you adjust for their prematurity, Penny is over 90% and Isaak over 50. Amazing little guys.

Picture Time! - Late Winter 2011 Collection

Here it is. What everyone has been waiting for. Hundreds of pictures of your favorite cuties!

Just click on Ollie or the pic below and be whisked away to the gallery.

Update: New video here. (Man have I got to get some video editing software. Lots of good stuff of the kiddles to chunk together, but everything free is terrible).

In other news, since I'm sure everyone will be wondering just how big they are:

Isaak: 18lbs 12oz and 27"
Penny: 19lbs 12oz and 27.25".

Amazing.

Pretty soon they will be outgrowing their infant car seats!

Have a great Sunday!

Let's roll, Mama!

6 Month Check-Ups

This will be brief, but it is an update!  =)

Both babies went to the pediatrician for their 6 month check-up last week.  Of course that also meant - gasp! - shots.  And while they got the "regular" 6 month immunizations (2 injections), they also got flu and RSV shots (2 more injections).  Isaak didn't start crying until halfway through the second injection.  Penny started about the time the cap came off of the first needle!  Neither one of them cried for very long, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless.

So, I'm guessing you all want statistics.  Well, tooooooo bad!

Just kidding!

Penny weighed a whopping 12 pounds, 10 ounces.  Her head circumference was 41 cm and her length was 23.25 inches.  At birth, she weighed a mere 1 pound, 7 ounces and was just 12 inches long.  *Updated info* As of Tuesday, Nov. 9th, she weighed 13 pounds even according to the home baby scale we have.

Isaak weighed 11 pounds, 3 ounces.  His head circumference was 40.5 cm and his length was the same as his big sister's.  He was just 1 pound, 11 ounces and 12 1/4 inches long at birth.  *Updated info* As of Tuesday, Nov. 9th, he weighed 11 pounds, 8 ounces according to the home scale.

Penny had an eye appointment last Thursday and her RoP has resolved!  The blood vessels in her eyes have finished growing all the way out to the retina!  She won't have another eye appointment for 6 months.  Yippee!

Isaak's next eye appointment at Duke is on Monday (11/15).  Hopefully, his RoP is almost resolved and there's not any more detachment of his retina.  (Fingers, toes, and, yes, eyes crossed!)

That's all the time I have for now!

P.S.  Thank you to those of you that have voted for the AHC Foundation in the Pepsi Refresh Project!  Your votes are making a difference as they have moved into 4th place...BUT they need to be in 1st or 2nd in order to win the grant money.  Please keep voting daily!  In addition to voting online, don't forget you can vote by text message as well.  That's 2 votes daily!

6 Month Check Up

We saw Ollie's pediatrician today. We love Dr. Goodmon. She has been fantastic through all of this. She even got us a couple of the blue bulb syringes from the hospital. You know, the ones that actually work. (We've purchased and thrown away four that were useless.)

Today, Ollie got 5 vaccinations:

• oral Rotavirus
• flu shot
• Synagis, a.k.a. the RSV vaccine
• Pentacel - diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio & Hib
  
• Prevnar - pneumococchal bacteria (like meningitis)
  

He weighed 14 pounds, 1.5 ounces - 3rd percentile.
He measured 26 inches long - 26th percentile.
His head circumference was 45.75 centimeters - 92nd percentile.
A "big" thank you to Daddy for the large noggin!
We'll go back in a month for another flu and Synagis shot. And then in 3 months for his 9 month check up! My how time flies...